Troubadour are a relatively young brewery – founded in 2000 – but have already established a fairly broad (and highly tempting) range of beers, including a delicious-sounding Imperial Stout which is firmly on my radar!

This is Troubadour Magma, an amber beer at the higher end of their range at 9.0% ABV. It’s a rich, orange colour that certainly evokes the glowing heat of magma, with a big, billowing white foam on top.

The nose is sweet, filled with chocolate-dipped orange peel, hints of dried apricots and an undercurrent of alcohol.

Initially warming on the tongue, this beer has a perfect mix of syrupy sweetness and a sharp, palate-cleansing acidic bitterness to stop it getting too much. It’s full of fine, champagne bubbles and the heat of the alcohol builds as it slips far too easily down the throat.

The finish is full of resinous hop bitterness, and hints of rum-soaked prunes linger on the tongue long after the last mouthful. Monstrous, complex and delicious – 4.5 stars!

Many thanks to Belgian Beerz for providing this year’s Twelve Beers Of Christmas!